


02:34

by TechnoMads



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, One Shot, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:41:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25545331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnoMads/pseuds/TechnoMads
Summary: TW: PTSD, Flashbacks, General AngstSummary: Set in between TLJ and TROS. On Ajan Kloss. It's going to get a bit sad. Poe can't get any sleep. Reader doesn't show up for a bit. Poe needs a hug.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Reader, Poe Dameron/You
Kudos: 13





	02:34

02:34. Poe had managed to sleep until 02:34. He went to sleep at 23:55, or so BB-8 had told him. He felt bad for the little droid, Poe didn't mean to wake him up. Poe also didn't mean to wake up shouting some weird out of context phrase about something about to blow, but he couldn't really control his...nightmares. 

Nightmares.

Poe didn't even know if that was an appropriate phrase for them. They weren't exactly something his brain had made up to fuck with him in the middle of some well-deserved sleep. This was something that Poe had lived through. The worn-out pilot could almost smell the smoke just thinking about it. He could smell the scent of hot metal, he could taste the metallic nature of blood, he could-

Poe shook his head. That was his issue, he always remembered everything. Every detail, good or bad, was ingrained into his brain as a mental reminder. As if he didn't have enough scars to act as physical reminders of almost every battle. It sucked even doing something as simple as taking a shower. He can't exactly just...not look at his body. He has the same issue whenever he changes into his pajamas or work clothes. Every time Poe did something as simple as that, he would zone out for a few minutes and relive a battle or two. Sometimes all he did was shed a tear, but sometimes, if it were something like the Battle of Starkiller Base, he would sob over the renewed pain of losing most of Black Squadron. They had been with him for years, he thought they would be there to see the end.

Would there ever be an end?  
Would the fighting ever stop?  
Would he even live to see the end of the war?

The faint beeping of BB-8 brought him back into reality. Poe hadn't even noticed his breathing getting so heavy, the tears running down his face, or his fists clenched to the point where he almost made his palms bleed.

Poe decided that he needed to leave his room. And the building. He can't leave the planet, sadly, but at least Ajan Kloss was gorgeous at all hours of the day. The air is always so nice and refreshing. Surely that would help, or at least give him something new to focus on. He's only dealt with one or two traumatic incidents in a forest, it shouldn't make him relive anything too bad.

After stepping out and finding a railing to lean against, Poe finally started to let himself relax. It was still somewhat light out due to Ajan Kloss' vibrant moon, creating the perfect lighting for relaxation. It was tranquil, serene, and almost made him sleepy. But, just like everything else, once he ran out of things to think about, he started drifting back towards his previous battles.

"..Commander..? Commander, can you hear me?"

Huh? Oh, someone was there. Shit, he had to interact with someone. He wasn't prepared enough for this.

"Poe..? You're concerning me."

Oh, thank the stars it was just (Y/N). He actually enjoyed talking to them. The moonlight made them look especially nice, even if they were just wearing some simple pajamas.

"Yeah, yeah I'm alright (Y/N). Just zoned out for a bit."

"Those bags under your eyes say different. I think we're both out here for the same reason."

There was some silence after that. It was a comfortable silence, after all, there was a mutual understanding of trauma, some shared, but mostly different experiences. Everything had been getting rougher than usual, so it wasn't that foreign of an idea for someone to share Poe's sleep troubles.

However, when Poe breaks the silence, (Y/N) gets really concerned. They've never heard their friend, let alone their commander, sound so broken before.

"Do...do you think there's something we're even fighting for at this rate? We keep losing, we're not taking enough territory back, shit we're fighting for something the galaxy hasn't experienced in decades. What makes us so special that we could fix it..."

There's another pause, and then the telltale sniffle of crying.

"Even if we do win, will any of us actually get to experience peace? The trauma won't exactly go away, and the battles are just going to get rougher. Are we just...doomed to suffer even after we win? Is this our sacrifice? Is this the price for being the hope of the galaxy?"

"Poe...Poe we can't afford to think like that, that's exactly what the First Order wants. I know how easy it is to feel hopeless right now, trust me I do, and I can only imagine how much harder it is for you to sleep than me. We need to focus on the future. Not if we win, but when we win. When we win, and when we have a new governing system set up, we can afford to finally relax. When we can relax, we can get help for the trauma, whether from each other or from some professional with magical pills or something. I promise you, we will be able to relax someday. We can't lose hope. And if it helps, I'll be by your side the whole time."

"....You really mean that?"

"Just because I do recon, doesn't mean I'd lie just to make you feel better. I care about you too much to do that."

There's a slight chuckle from the dark-haired pilot, followed by a sigh of relief, and the feeling of his hand in yours.

"Thank you, (Y/N). Remind me to take you to dinner sometime."

"I'll gladly hold you to that, hotshot."

"Hey! Being hotheaded is part of the appeal!"

"Mmhm, is that what we're calling it now?"

The pair don't get any more sleep, but instead, spend the rest of the night doing their best to comfort each other. It was the first night in months either of them really smiled.


End file.
